Innocent
by Khentkawes
Summary: While negotiating a trade agreement, Daniel is imprisoned on an alien world.  After his release, he tries to make sense of fragmented and disturbing memories. S10.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Innocent

Summary: While negotiating a trade agreement, Daniel is imprisoned on an alien world. After his release, he tries to make sense of fragmented and disturbing memories. S10.

Spoilers: only one major one – Meridian, although I suppose anything ascension related is fair game. The story itself takes place in season 10, but there are no specific spoilers other than Vala's presence.

Category: angst, drama, action, hurt/comfort

* * *

Prologue 

Blinding fear. At first that was all he was aware of. The sheer terror. But it wasn't just any fear; this was a specific kind of fear, fear born out of a terrifying blankness that was disturbingly familiar.

He didn't know where he was. He was only vaguely aware of who he was.

One thing was certain – he didn't belong here. He didn't _want_ to be here.

It was dark and musty, the air oppressively still. Slivers of light cast menacing shadows throughout the cell. And there was no way out.

Oh yes. He was definitely afraid.

He didn't remember coming here. He didn't remember what had happened before he came here.

Harsh yelling echoed down a hallway, followed by banging and the sickening sound of a hard object impacting soft flesh. Repeatedly.

Wild eyes darted about the tiny room before landing on the only identifiable exit: a heavy metal door with one small window. The only window in the room.

With a dash of desperation, he sprung at the door, pounding on it wildly and shouting for someone to let him out. Through the small window he saw nothing but an unending corridor, swathed in darkness.

No one came.

* * *

Contrary to his first impressions, he wasn't alone here. But sometimes he wished he was. He didn't remember much about the others. When they came he begged them to help him, to explain, to help themselves.

Sometimes he didn't even understand the things he said to them. And he never understood what the others said to him. Not really. Maybe he didn't want to.

One thing was frighteningly clear. They called him a criminal.

He denied it of course. Repeatedly. Emphatically. But he didn't know if it was true. After all, he couldn't remember. He didn't _think_ he was a criminal. He'd like to believe that he wasn't that sort of person. But he couldn't be sure. Maybe he had committed the crimes he was accused of. Maybe he deserved this…deserved to be punished. Maybe unspeakable crimes lay locked within his memory. Was it possible to feel guilty over something he could not remember?

Guilt and innocence mixed together. Did he really want to remember? What if the weight of his own memories was enough to destroy him?

He simply didn't know.

So for now, he said he was innocent. Because he wasn't sure if he could handle the alternative.

* * *

Part 1

Vala paced up and down nervously, casting annoyed glances at the closed doors and the guards that stood on either side of them.

They had been told to wait in the courtyard, just outside the prison gates. So they waited. And waited. Cameron stood still, facing the closed doors. His calm attitude annoyed her. She wished that he would lose his cool, just for a moment. Just to prove that he was as worried as she was.

Sam and Teal'c were still talking to the Chief Minister, mostly because Sam was the only one who still had an ounce of patience left to deal with the infuriating man. Even Teal'c was ready to bash his head in, but they all knew that wouldn't solve anything. There was something about Chief Minister Nebal that was beginning to set off warning bells in Vala's head. She didn't trust him. Of course, she didn't trust most people, but this was different. Something she cared about was at stake, and she couldn't bring herself to believe that the Rahsonians were being totally honest with them.

"Relax, Vala. They'll bring him," Cameron said. "And as soon as they do, we're out of here."

She spun around, throwing a glare at him. "How do you know?"

Cam let out a heavy sigh. "They aren't stupid, Vala. Right now they need us more than we need them, and they're not about to jeopardize that. Trust me, they'll bring him."

Vala marched right up to him, staring into his eyes. On the surface, she was all angry defiance, but she knew he could see the fear lurking behind her anger. "It's been three weeks, Cameron. Three weeks! The last time we saw him he was in chains, being shoved around by some nameless guards, and…" Vala's voice broke slightly.

She didn't need to finish. They both remembered. They had seen their missing teammate once in the past three weeks, dressed in the gray jumpsuit that they had all come to recognize as Rahsonian prison garb. He'd looked terrible; exhausted and far too submissive as the guards roughly prodded him along. They had barely spoken to him then. There hadn't been time for more than a few hasty words of reassurance.

Cam reached out and took Vala by the shoulders. "Everything's going to be fine," he said softly. "They'll hold up their end of the bargain. I guarantee it. Okay?"

She nodded mutely in response.

When the doors finally creaked open, they both turned to look expectantly. The guards nodded in acknowledgment as a security officer stepped outside. He was followed by two more guards flanking a single prisoner. His hands were cuffed behind his back, but the chains were gone and the gray prison uniform had been replaced with the same green BDUs that had been taken from him after his arrest. Despite the change in outward appearance, he was still guarded like a criminal. What disturbed Vala the most was that he actually looked the part. He shuffled along between the two guards without lifting his head, eyes seemingly glued to the ground.

Vala started to step forward, ready to meet their friend halfway, but Cameron seized her arm, holding her in place. She glanced up and saw the command in his eyes – Wait. She didn't move, but returned her gaze to the spectacle before them.

The lead officer signaled a halt when they reached the center of the courtyard and the guards reached out to restrain their prisoner. The officer executed a quick turn to face his captive, but he fixed his gaze at some spot over the man's shoulder. Then he delivered his pronouncement, speaking clearly so that his voice could be heard by the two foreigners who had gathered within the courtyard.

"Dr. Jackson of the planet Earth, you have been granted a diplomatic pardon. All charges against you have therefore been dropped, and you are free to return to your planet. Any attempt to return to Rahsonia will be treated as a hostile act and will result in your immediate incarceration." The officer signaled one of the guards, who reached behind the prisoner to remove his restraints. The cuffs snapped open and Daniel's hands fell loosely to his sides. He looked down at them for a moment as if puzzled by the sight.

The guards both stepped back, and for the first time the lead officer actually looked his prisoner in the eye. "Congratulations, Doctor," he said, holding out a hand in a friendly gesture. Daniel regarded him silently, and from a distance it was impossible to read his expression. With slight hesitation, Daniel grasped the offered hand. The officer gave a decisive nod and then barked out an order. Daniel winced at the sharp tone, but the officer failed to notice his reaction, his attention already on the prison guards beside him. The guards each gave a sharp salute, made an about face, and returned to the prison complex, followed by their commanding officer.

Standing alone, Daniel finally raised his gaze and saw his teammates. At first, no one moved. Then Daniel began walking slowly across the courtyard to meet them. He looked impossibly weary, shoulders slumped and walking with a slight limp. Nonetheless, after three weeks of tension and worry, he was a welcome sight.

Unable to contain her relief, Vala ran to greet him. She threw her arms around his neck in an enthusiastic hug, even knowing that he would be irritated by her exuberance. He flinched in response and hesitated a moment, clearly uncertain, before slowly returning the embrace. Vala smiled happily at the response. Her smile faded when she felt him let out a shuddering breath.

Vala pulled back slightly, leaving her arms draped around his neck as she leaned back to look at him. There were dark smudges under his eyes and beneath several days' worth of stubble, she could see his face was lined with fatigue. Noticing the split lip and the half-healed cut running along his right temple, she wondered if those lines spoke of pain as well as exhaustion.

"Daniel?" she spoke gently. He regarded her with blue eyes that held none of their usual spark. He still hadn't let go of her, and that alone was enough to cause her concern. She moved one hand from the back of his neck, to rest her palm against his cheek. She expected him to swat away the offending hand, to pull away from the intimate touch that threatened his personal space. Daniel did neither. He simply stared back at Vala. But he looked a million miles away.

"Jackson?" Cameron's voice came from close by, causing Daniel to jump and take a step back. He seemed unsteady, shaken somehow, and Vala kept one hand on his arm in an attempt at reassurance that somehow seemed inadequate.

Cam gave a small smile of apology. "You okay?"

Releasing a shaky breath, Daniel looked up with eyes clouded in pain. "Honestly?" he said. "I've been better."

The colonel nodded his agreement. He rested a hand on his teammate's shoulder and urged him forward. "Come on, Daniel. Let's go home."

Daniel nodded wearily. "Yeah. Home."

Vala refused to leave his side, while Cameron called Sam on the radio and told her to meet them at the stargate. Sam suggested that she and Teal'c stay behind. Apparently Chief Minister Nebal wanted to discuss the particulars of the trade agreement. Cam sighed in frustration and glanced at Daniel who looked away in discomfort. Cameron raised an eyebrow in question.

"The treaty's important," Daniel said quietly, his voice sounding hollow.

Vala exchanged glances with Cameron and saw his mouth twitch in irritation as he keyed his radio. "Sam, tell the Chief Minister that the treaty can wait, and then meet us at the stargate." He signed off and ended the transmission before she could reply.

They proceeded directly to the stargate, which was situated in a nearly abandoned portion of the city. Sam and Teal'c arrived shortly afterwards. The team exchanged silent greetings. Teal'c looked Daniel over thoroughly, a subtle expression of displeasure crossing his stoic features. Sam took one look at where Daniel stood between Cam and Vala and walked over to give him a quick hug.

"I'm sorry we couldn't get you out of there sooner," she whispered in his ear. Daniel merely shrugged and looked away. Vala observed quietly. Sometimes, she still had trouble reading her teammates' reactions. The relationship between the three original members of SG-1 was particularly difficult for her to understand. At times they hardly spoke to each other, barely seemed to notice that the others existed. But then, when it really mattered, they always knew exactly what the others needed.

"Vala, dial us home," Cam ordered. Vala was already moving towards the DHD when Daniel spoke.

"Actually…do you mind?"

Cameron waved a hand in invitation. Daniel moved to the DHD and began dialing. For a moment they all watched him. Vala glanced at Cameron who nodded. She pulled out her GDO to send the iris code, while Cameron turned back to Sam.

"Did Nebal make a fuss about you guys leaving before the treaty was officially signed?"

Vala watched the wormhole snap to life as she entered her code into the GDO.

Sam sounded a bit cautious as she answered. "Well, the Chief Minister is trying to be as conciliatory as possible, so he can't complain too much. Still, he wasn't terribly happy."

Daniel let out a bitter laugh, surprising all of them. "He never is."

The two colonels glanced at him in surprise, confusion clearly written on their faces.

With a sigh, Daniel turned back to the open wormhole. "Can we go, now?" he asked in a tone that was a cross between petulant and pleading.

"Yeah," Mitchell nodded.

Vala quickly made her way up the steps, joining Daniel with Teal'c as they made their way through the event horizon. A quick backward glanced confirmed that the two colonels were right behind them.

General Landry was waiting on the other side when they exited the gate, a small release of breath the only sign of his relief.

"SG-1," he acknowledged with a nod. "Welcome back, Dr. Jackson."

Daniel gave a brief smile. "Thank you."

"Report to the infirmary, Doctor." Landry turned to the others as he continued. "SG-1, briefing in one hour."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I'm thrilled and somewhat flabbergasted by the enthusiastic response to this so far. Much thanks to those who have reviewed. I love hearing your comments. I hope you continue to read and enjoy.

* * *

Part 2

He was barely coherent when they came for him. He shied away when they reached out to him, flinching from their touch. The guards always came back, but this time the other man was missing. The one that Daniel always thought of as the man-in-the-white-coat, even though he wore the same red uniform as the others. Daniel briefly wondered where the man might be, before realizing that he should simply be grateful for small favors.

The two guards tried to help Daniel to his feet, but he slapped their hands away. He expected a blow to the face or a quick punch to the gut as payment for this small act of defiance, but nothing happened.

"Come along Dr. Jackson. You're being removed from the facility today."

_Removed._ He didn't like the sound of that. Given his experience so far, there was no reason to think that "removed" was a good thing. It sounded a bit like a euphemism for "executed."

Another hand tried to pull him to his feet. He jerked away roughly and stood on his own, feeling slightly unsteady.

"We mean you no harm Dr. Jackson. But you must come with us."

No harm, they said. Daniel wanted to laugh at the thought. Yeah right, he thought sarcastically. Why should I believe that?

"Have him taken up to level seven," one of the guards said. Daniel thought that level seven was the surface, but maybe that was just another delusion created by his over-taxed senses. "Have him cleaned up. They want him outside in half an hour for official release."

"Yes sir," the second guard responded.

Daniel felt himself being led away. And he cursed the fog of confusion that prevented him from resisting.

* * *

When SG-1 arrived in the infirmary, Dr. Lam ordered a nurse to take Dr. Jackson aside, then she quickly dispensed with the others, ordering them through standard post-mission exams. Nurses quickly jumped to take blood pressure readings, as Dr. Carmichael nodded to Carolyn, assuring her that he would handle everything.

Dr. Lam sent him a silent thank-you as she moved across the infirmary to check out Dr. Jackson. She found him sitting quietly on the bed in the corner, his field jacket already removed and lying beside him. It was obvious that he was dead on his feet. She hoped that was all that was wrong with him, but the glazed look in his eyes implied otherwise.

"Dr. Jackson?" she said gently. She didn't fail to notice his slight start of surprise. "How are you feeling?"

He looked up at her, but it took him a moment to respond. "I'm fine," he said unconvincingly, his voice a bit hollow. "Fine. I'm just a bit disoriented, that's all."

Carolyn looked him over carefully as she tried to keep him talking. "Okay. Disoriented. Can you be more specific?"

"I thought…" Daniel trailed off. She gave what she hoped was an encouraging smile. "Just a minute ago… I thought I was… somewhere else."

She silently placed "possible concussion" at the top of her list of concerns. As Carolyn reached for her penlight, she saw that Daniel's arm was marked with bruises. She reached for his forearm and pulled it towards her for a better look. He jerked away roughly.

With concern and surprise, Carolyn met his eyes, keeping her hands in plain sight as if approaching a frightened animal.

"Dr. Jackson?"

"Sorry, sorry," he muttered, bringing up a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Gut reaction, I guess."

She frowned slightly, reaching for his arm again, but slower. This time he held it out for her examination. She gently brushed her fingers over a trail of small puncture wounds, surrounded by nasty purple bruising.

"Needle marks?" she asked.

Daniel nodded. "It's the Rahsonians' way of controlling their prisoners. They drug them into submission." His voice was calm and dull, devoid of emotion.

"Okay," Carolyn said softly, moving to examine his other arm only to find more needle tracks. "What kind of symptoms have you noticed?"

"Um… I'm not sure. It's hard to tell what's caused by the drug and what's caused by… everything else."

Carolyn didn't like the sound of that either. "A guess?"

"Uh, okay, well… the disorientation thing, headache, nausea… trouble focusing. Sometimes I couldn't – I can't remember certain things, things that I should know… for a while I didn't even remember being arrested..." he trailed off into silence, frowning in confusion. He closed his eyes. "I feel like I'm fighting through this haze… almost like I'm… somehow disconnected from the world around me." Daniel shook his head as if trying to clear it. "I don't know," he said with a sigh. "I haven't felt _normal_ since they gave it to me. I can't even think clearly."

Carolyn tried to give him a reassuring smile. "That's probably the point. Is there anything else you can think of?"

He shrugged. "Some nightmares and trouble sleeping, but I'm attributing that to the fact I've been stuck in an alien prison for… how long have I been gone?"

"Three weeks." Daniel's eyes widened, and Carolyn wondered if that time frame was longer or shorter than he'd expected. It seemed to take him a while to process this information and he was unusually quiet throughout the rest of the examination. He didn't even complain about the excessive thoroughness of her exam.

When she was done with all her tests, Dr. Lam made some notes on his chart and took his blood sample to the lab. When she returned, she intended on releasing him with strict instructions that he have a good meal and at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. Instead, she found him stretched out on the infirmary bed where she'd left him. He lay on his side, face buried in a pillow, completely dead to the world. Carolyn spared him a sympathetic smile as she pulled a privacy curtain around the bed and left.

* * *

In the briefing room, the remaining members of SG-1 were explaining recent events to General Landry.

"The Chief Minister still isn't pleased about Daniel's release, but he has agreed to proceed with the treaty negotiations," Sam said. "However, he made it quite clear that Daniel would not be allowed back on Rahsonia."

"Somehow, I don't think that will be a problem," Cameron added.

"Why are we even talking to these people?" Vala asked, voice laced with irritation and disgust. "They had Daniel imprisoned on false charges. Why should we trust them?"

Sam shook her head. "They still believe that Daniel sabotaged their power plant."

"And as much as we all know they're wrong, we don't have the evidence to prove it," Cam said.

"Not by their legal standards, no."

"But they are holding to their original offer?" Landry asked.

"Yes, sir," Sam said. "Their power generation facilities are in extremely poor shape, which is why they want the naquadah generator in the first place. They're hoping to incorporate the technology into the facilities they already have. Without it, they probably won't be able to maintain the amount of energy necessary to power their major cities. Most of the smaller cities have already lost power."

"But how do we know this Ancient device they're offering us even does what they say it will?" Vala asked.

"Well the schematics they showed me looked promising. From what I understand, the device should create an effective defense screen to protect Earth from Ori attacks. We may even be able to create a portable version to be used in the field."

"If it works." Vala clung stubbornly to her skepticism.

Sam nodded contemplatively. "I agree there are no guarantees, but it's an incredible opportunity. Daniel didn't manage to translate much of the text before…" Sam trailed off awkwardly. "Well, what he did translate seemed to imply the device was left there by the Ancients well after the Ori left this galaxy. If that's true, then the Ori would have no knowledge of this technology and it could provide us with a strategic advantage in future conflicts."

There was a knock at the briefing room door and everyone looked up to see Dr. Lam.

Carolyn cleared her throat and turned to address Landry. "You said you wanted to know when I had a report on Dr. Jackson?"

The general nodded. "Have a seat. How is Dr. Jackson?"

Carolyn sat in a vacant chair next to Vala. "All in all, he should be fine. But I certainly don't have a very high opinion of the Rahsonian penal system. Dr. Jackson is suffering from exhaustion and mild dehydration. There is also evidence that he was beaten. He has bruising covering most of his torso, some scrapes and abrasions, a few torn ligaments in his knee, and a mild concussion. Some of the injuries appear to be nearly healed, but others are more recent, probably only a few days old. Thankfully, there are no broken bones or internal injuries, but I am ordering him to take it easy for the next couple of weeks.

"I was going to release him, provided he remain on base for a few days, but…" Carolyn shrugged, "he was already asleep. I figured, under the circumstances, it was probably better to let him sleep it off… which brings us to my other concern."

The doctor was met with several confused glances. "What do you mean?" Sam asked.

Carolyn sighed. "It appears that Dr. Jackson was drugged. I haven't gotten his blood results back yet, but when I asked him about it, he said that the Rahsonians drugged all the inmates. Dr. Jackson's symptoms seem to confirm his own suspicion that the drug is specially designed to make the prisoners easier to control." Her lips quirked to the side in an uncomfortable frown.

"Damn," Cam swore under his breath.

"That makes sense actually," Vala said. All eyes shifted to look at her questioningly. "Well, Daniel is annoyingly stubborn under the best of circumstances, and this situation certainly didn't qualify as 'the best.' But from what little I saw, he was rather… compliant. It wasn't like him at all."

"ValaMalDoran is correct," Teal'c readily agreed. "I too noticed DanielJackson's behavior and found it to be out of character."

Cameron and Sam glanced at each other momentarily. Mitchell nodded slightly in agreement and Sam gave a tightlipped grimace at the thought.

"We'll know more about the drug itself once I get his blood results back," Dr. Lam said. "I can't try to counteract the effects until I know for sure what this drug is and how it will interact with our medications."

"Let me know what you learn, Doctor." Landry turned back to SG-1. "I'm sending SG-9 to complete the treaty negotiations. Considering the circumstances, I'd like a neutral party involved on this one."

"Not to mention that we were starting to push the Chief Minister's patience," Cameron added.

"I should go as well, sir," Sam said. Landry gave her a dubious look. "If we are going through with this, I'll need to supervise the Rahsonian's integration of the naquadah generator. And as much as I hate to admit it, I was making progress with their representatives. I think I can convince them to trust me."

"All right, Colonel. You've spent the most time with Chief Minister Nebal, so I'd like you to give SG-9 an idea of what they'll be facing," Sam nodded. "I'll be briefing them as soon as we're done here, and you'll be leaving at oh-seven-hundred tomorrow morning."

* * *

Daniel pounded on the door.

"Let me out," he called. "I didn't do anything."

A voice whispered back, incriminating. _Guilty. Criminal. Guilty._

"No," Daniel muttered. "No, I didn't do anything."

He sunk to the floor. _Guilty! You know it's true. You admitted it._

No. He wouldn't have. But he couldn't remember fighting it. Had he allowed them to throw him into prison? Why would he let them blame him for something he hadn't done?

* * *

One of the nurses glanced over at the bed on the far side of the room. The area was still curtained off, but she thought she'd heard a sound. A low moan. Quietly she slipped over and peered behind the curtain. Dr. Jackson was still asleep, but stirred slightly. He appeared restless for a while before the motions stilled. She watched for a few moments longer, just until she was assured that he was once again sleeping peacefully, then she returned to her regular duties.


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

He tried to use logic at first, but it made no difference. He tried to negotiate, but no one listened. He had begged and pleaded with them to help him understand, but they ignored every word he said. Words were his most effective weapons, but his captors seemed impervious to them. He wondered momentarily if they were deaf… or just plain stupid. He feared the truth was that they were simply hardened to the point where their sympathies had been exterminated. Perhaps that was why they were chosen for this job. He didn't blame them, exactly. They were jailers. It was their job, and they couldn't be condemned for it. Except that no matter what their superiors ordered them to do, they still had a choice, still possessed free will to decide. There was always a choice.

So he kept talking to them, hoping that something he said would get through.

It wasn't long before he learned how wrong he was.

The guards came again. Although he couldn't be sure, they seemed to come at regular intervals and he assumed it was about twice a day. They always brought the same strange tasting food, which he barely touched, before they quickly disappeared. This had happened for several days now and he always tried to talk to them. And they always ignored him, walking silently away. It had become something of a routine.

Today was different. The metal door creaked open and he jumped to his feet. There were four guards instead of the usual two, and they carried no bowl of slop that masqueraded as dinner.

"Why am I here?" he asked. He asked that every time, hoping this time there would be an answer.

Still, he was surprised when one of the guards spoke. "You are here to learn the punishment for terrorism. As an enemy of the state, you will remain here until the court has finalized your conviction, at which time the Chief Minister will schedule your execution."

His jaw dropped, shock written clearly across every feature. "No, no, tha-that's not right." Desperately trying to make sense of senseless words, he clung to some semblance of rationality. "I don't know what you've been told, or where your orders came from, but I-I'm not a terrorist." They appeared unconvinced, indifferent and uncaring. "Please, allow me to speak with Chief Minister Nebal, or Ambassador Sevoy. They can explain. This is all some kind of mistake."

"The only mistake here," the guard snarled slightly, "is that a criminal such as yourself would dare to attack the sovereignty of our nation. A mistake, for which you will pay most dearly."

Daniel backed away quickly. "No. I didn't attack anyone. My team came here to make peaceful contact with your people. We have no desire to…"

His words were halted by a fist connecting with his face. Daniel's head snapped backwards as he staggered, nearly losing his footing. Hands quickly grabbed his arms as two guards moved to his sides, restraining him between them. The first guard still towered in front of him, grinning madly as Daniel spat blood onto the floor. The grin was more than enough to tell Daniel what would happen next. He struggled against the guards, who merely tightened their grip, seizing him with bruising force. At a nod from their leader, one of the guards reached for a metallic object that glistened at the corner of Daniel's vision before it disappeared behind his back. He felt something jab into his side and Daniel gasped in pain as a quick shock shot through his body. It resembled the electrical current of a zat, but sharper and more localized. His knees buckled and his back arched as the device sent ripples of energy traveling along tense muscles. He clenched his teeth and fought to hold back the pain.

When the metallic device was finally removed, he sagged in relief, panting for breath as black spots clouded his vision. The two guards were now supporting him as well as restraining him. He saw the fourth guard advance with fists clenched, but the first blow fell before he could react.

They took turns then, working him over until he nearly passed out. When they left, he lay in a battered heap, drenched in sweat and trembling in pain as he struggled to take another ragged breath.

* * *

Daniel twitched in his sleep, images scattering from his mind. In a drowsy state of half-consciousness, he heard the shuffled steps of people, the gentle beeping of some machinery, and somewhere a phone rang. His eyelids lifted slightly and he saw the curtain blocking him off from the rest of the infirmary. Haunted and weary with memories, he drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Cold. All-encompassing cold. Daniel shivered, his bones aching, feeling the invisible pin-prick of the biting air in his dark cell, as his head pounded relentlessly. He'd been left here for some time, he wasn't sure exactly how long. Time had ceased to have normal meaning, and with no frame of reference, he had stopped trying to guess how long he'd been here. Or how long he would remain here.

If a society is judged by how it treats its least valuable members, than the Rahsonians had a long way to go. _Whatever you have done to the least of these…_ Daniel couldn't remember where he'd heard those words before and that disturbed him.

He shook off the memory and tried to focus. Daniel had been so excited by the possibilities that these people were offering. The Ancient technology left behind on their planet could help defend earth against the Ori. Without even realizing it, Daniel had begun to pin his hopes on the treaty that would secure this one Ancient device. It was another shred of the Ancients' knowledge, elusive and powerful, and always just out of reach. And it could be their salvation.

Had he been wrong? Vala had joked that he was obsessed with the knowledge of the Ancients, but what if she was right? Maybe he had been too optimistic about the potential of this device. But now he might never know. Just when he seemed to be making progress on the texts he had been given, he had been seized and imprisoned.

They wouldn't even tell him why he was here.

Why _was_ he here? He had been going to meet the rest of the team, to tell them… something. Something about the translations. It had seemed important at the time.

Daniel pulled himself up into the corner, shivering so violently that his back hit the wall behind him, causing him to wince in pain as bruised skin connected with unforgiving stone.

_Focus,_ he told himself. _How_ did he get here? He needed to remember something. Something specific.

Fighting through the fog, he forced his mind backwards to the last thing he could vaguely recall before this place… this prison.

He had been in the archives. Someone had taken him to the archives building, but had been called away. Ambassador Someone. Sevy? Seetoy? Sevoy. Ambassador Sevoy. Yes that was it.

The throbbing in his mind increased, like a marching band of elephants running laps around his head. Pressing his fingers to his temples, he tried to think.

The ambassador had left. Yes. Then what? He had been researching something. _Well, that's informative, genius_, a sarcastic voice joined the elephants in mocking him. _You spend most of your life researching something that no one really cares about_. "Shut up," he muttered. This time the research had been important. He needed to tell… who was he going to tell? His friends, that's right. His team. They would care, because it was important. _Right, because they always care so much about your worthless research._ The sarcastic voice was only making his headache worse.

What had he been trying to remember? Oh, yes. How he got here. The Archives. The ambassador left. But there was someone else there. Someone who was helping him.

_"Cirano, this isn't right. Look here," he pointed to a line of text, "this doesn't make sense."_

"_I don't see what you are referring to," another voice said._ Who was Cirano? Another researcher perhaps?

"_Are you sure these are the original documents?"_

"_Of course."_

"_I'd like to see the inscription on the device itself, just to double check its authenticity."_ Daniel remembered saying the words, but couldn't place them into context. He wished the room would stop spinning.

_"There is no need," Cirano replied. "My government has guaranteed its authenticity."_

_"Cirano, this text is full of errors. The grammatical structure is…it's nonexistent! Look at this logically, as a historian. It can't be accurate."_ He had pleaded for rationality.

_Cirano shook his head. "You are wasting your time. My government would not be wrong."_

He remembered feeling angry, frustrated. Something else had happened after that, but it didn't make any sense. The guards had come and spoke to Cirano.

_"Your research for the day is done," said a man in a red uniform. "You will now go home for the remainder of the day."_

"_Of course," Cirano replied. He was not upset. Daniel would have been upset. He remembered Cirano's excitement when he entered the archives, how he said he had waited for months before he was granted permission for this visit. It was a valuable and privileged opportunity. Now he was told to leave. And he did. He seemed happy about it._ Daniel frowned in confusion. Was that really how it had happened, or was he confused again?

Without warning, Daniel's focus shifted, his mind betraying him again.

Brilliant flashes of color blinded him momentarily, accompanied by a spike of pain behind his eyes. The hard won memories faded to the blackness of his cell, which was soon blotted out by splashes of brightness.

Lights swirled in front of him in intricate patterns, both mesmerizing and horrifying in their intensity. Blue faded into purple, then red, lanced through with yellow and white. A backdrop of pale blue sky dotted with gold, while strands of silver and green wove a web of fine lines before him, catching the light like a spider's web in the early morning. Each image shaded with depth and meaning that lay just outside his reach.

Entranced by the dazzling shapes dancing before him, Daniel wondered briefly if this was what it had felt like when he was ascended – enchanted by wonders beyond comprehension, complicit in his own powerlessness.

The colors swirled again, shifting as memories shattered through his mind like broken glass. He was looking through a window. Down below him, he saw a body wrapped in bandages and lying on a bed.

The window rippled before him like an open wormhole and the image faded. He felt the slice of transparent shards, but it was soon drowned out by the burning in his hand. He looked down to see the flesh of his right hand melting before his eyes, slowly seared away by radiation.

* * *

Daniel jerked awake, gasping for breath. His eyes darted from side to side, desperately.

The infirmary? How did he get _here_?

"Dr. Jackson?" He jumped at the voice that was far too close for comfort. "Sorry," Carolyn smiled gently. "Still having nightmares?"

Daniel nodded. "Yeah. Maybe. Or something similar." Carolyn gave him a puzzled look. Daniel responded with an innocent shrug. "Nightmares, memories… it's pretty much the same thing." Rubbing a hand over his eyes, he tried to banish the lingering confusion. "How long was I…?"

"Asleep?" Carolyn finished. He nodded. "About seventeen hours." Daniel's eyes widened. "I was going to release you yesterday, but I didn't want to wake you," she said with an amused grin.

"Uh, thanks, I think. What time is it?"

Carolyn glanced at her watch. "A little after nine a.m."

Daniel sighed, marveling over how a simple thing like time could be reassuring. He scooted to the side of the bed, absently realizing he was still wearing the clothes he'd been given yesterday. He winced slightly as stiff muscles made themselves known. His back ached. His left hand moved to massage his throbbing knee as he contemplated how much pain would be associated with standing up.

Without saying a word, Carolyn held out a glass of water and a small paper cup containing two pills. Daniel sat on the edge of the bed, looking up at her innocently, as if asking what the pills were for.

But Carolyn was used to this sort of behavior from him. Daniel's aversion to medication was well known, and she was actually relieved to see him acting more like himself. Yesterday, he had complied with everything she had asked of him, and while it made the examination easier, it was also a little unsettling.

Carolyn gave a huff of mock impatience as she settled into lecture mode. "Look, Dr. Jackson, you're going to be extremely sore for several days yet, even with the medication. Now I don't see a good reason for you to be in any more pain than is absolutely necessary."

Daniel seemed to seriously think about that for a few minutes. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked. "Couldn't that cause some kind of reaction with the drugs they already gave me? On Rahsonia, I mean."

"I've already gone over your blood work. The Rahsonian drugs have begun to work their way out of your system and I double checked to make sure they wouldn't cause any adverse reactions. It's perfectly safe. So take the pills, and don't argue with me."

Daniel gave her a small grin. "Yes, ma'am." He took the medication from her, washing it down with the glass of water. "I don't suppose you have any idea what they gave me?"

Carolyn leaned her hip against the bed. "It appears to be a mixture of several different medications. I'm still analyzing a few of them, but from what I can tell so far, you were right about the Rahsonians using it to control their prisoners. It seems to be specifically designed to slow a patient's reaction time and make them more compliant, interfering with the patient's ability to think clearly and rationally. I imagine that's the cause of your disorientation and confusion."

He nodded contemplatively. "Keep the prisoners confused and they'll do whatever they're told."

"So it would seem. There's another thing. This lovely cocktail you were given was laced with a hallucinogenic."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Oh, wonderful."

Carolyn gently patted his arm. "That's partially why I let you sleep. Aside from the fact that you needed it, most of the drugs should have worn off by now. You may experience a few side effects for the next couple of days, but they should be mild. Now," she pointed at his left knee, "let me take a look at that."

With a martyred sigh, Daniel complied, trying not to wince as she poked and prodded abused muscles and strained ligaments.

"You sure did a number on this knee," Carolyn commented.

"The _Rahsonians_ did a number on my knee," Daniel corrected. "And if you think that's bad, you should have seen what it looked like before." At Carolyn's glare, Daniel winced, immediately regretting his words. He silently wondered if those drugs interfered with his ability to speak as well as think. "What I meant was that it's already starting to heal. It's just sprained, right? Nothing to worry about." He tried giving her a smile for good measure.

Carolyn shook her head, unable to hide her amusement. "Nice save."

"Thanks. I thought so. Does that mean I can leave?" Daniel asked hopefully.

With a dramatic eye roll, Carolyn nodded. "Yes, you can leave, on the condition that you stay on base for now, try to get as much rest as possible, and check in with me again tonight, just to be sure everything's okay. And keep that knee wrapped. The x-rays looked good, but I still want to minimize any swelling while the ligaments heal." Daniel nodded in agreement. "Go get something to eat," she ordered. "Oh, and you might want to shave. You're looking a little on the scruffy side." Daniel rubbed a hand along his jaw as he realized she was right. "The general wants to see you as well, but I want you to eat first or I'll have you dragged back in here and hooked up to an IV."

"Any other orders you'd like to add?" Daniel asked with a touch of sarcasm.

"No," Carolyn replied, completely deadpan. "I think that's about it."

Trying to look put out, Daniel stood, rolling a shoulder experimentally to try and ease the stiffness. When he turned back to the doctor, his look of mock irritation faded. "Thanks, Carolyn."

She smiled. "Anytime."


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

Sometimes they let him out of his solitary cell. Unfortunately, the alternative wasn't much better. In some ways, it was much worse.

On those occasions, he traded his lonely little cell for a crowded, blank-walled room containing other inmates…other criminals. The guards were always there, constantly watching and Daniel felt like a hamster in a cage, running circles for the entertainment of those outside the box. And of course, his behavior was probably infinitely entertaining. When he was coherent enough, he investigated possible escape routes. He tried to be as circumspect as possible, but in a brief moment of total clarity, he realized what a fool he must seem like to anyone that was watching.

"You crazy?" an old man asked. "That why you here? It is, aint it? You crazy and you did somethin' crazy to get put here wit' us. You don ev'n act li'e us."

This was not one of his most coherent moments and Daniel ran his hands along the wall frantically, as if hoping for some secret passageway to appear. But there was no way out.

It was hopeless. He was hopeless. Helpless. Powerless.

He saw a young woman huddled up by the door. Dark hair hung over her eyes and she stared up vacantly. Daniel had seen that look too many times. He hoped he didn't look like that. He prayed he would never look like that. Frantically he continued searching the walls, even as some part of his brain registered that he wasn't acting or thinking rationally.

He wasn't the only one who noticed the girl. She soon caught the attention of one of the guards.

"Hey, pretty thing," the red-uniformed guard leered down at her. "Stand up and look at me," he said sharply. She did as she was told, still staring at him vacantly, but flinching away in fear when he touched her face. He slapped her, seizing her with one hand, fingers digging in with bruising force as he hauled her backward. He revealed a feral grin with a predatory glint in his eyes.

Daniel panicked.

Without thought, he launched himself at the guard, knocking him away from the girl. She was helpless. She didn't deserve any of this.

"Leave her alone," Daniel yelled.

Hands pulled him away from the guard, but he fought harder, blindly striking out and feeling his fist crack against something solid. He remembered that this had happened to him before. Again and again he tried to help people, and the others punished him for it.

His legs were kicked out from under him and he toppled to the floor, landing hard on his side as another swift kick knocked the air from his lungs. He lost count of the blows as he curled in around the pain.

His last conscious thought was that no one in the room seemed to notice what was happening. They didn't care. Even worse, they didn't seem capable of caring. They merely did as they were told.

"Hey, Daniel!" Vala's voice cut through the haze and Daniel found himself staring at the nearly empty plate in front of him. He glanced up to see Vala and Cameron looking at him with concerned expressions. He looked to the side and saw Teal'c sitting beside him, regarding him in a similar fashion, if somewhat more reserved.

"Are you all right, DanielJackson?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry. I just can't seem to stay focused." Daniel glanced around the commissary to ground himself, but the sight of the crowded room brought back the same memories from which he had just broken free. Refocusing on his teammates, he managed a smile as he took a drink of his coffee, closing his eyes in pleasure at the reassuringly familiar taste.

Daniel had followed Dr. Lam's orders. After a shower and a shave, he had gone straight for the commissary where he was met by the rest of his team. It appeared that the good doctor had sent them to make sure he complied with her instructions. He appreciated their efforts, although he was a bit disturbed by the fact that Vala had actually threatened to force feed him if necessary. He believed she would do it, too. He had asked about Sam's absence, but when they told him she had returned to Rahsonia, he merely nodded and allowed Mitchell to change the subject.

"We should get going," Mitchell broke the tense silence. "The general will be expecting us."

Daniel nodded mutely, downing the last of his coffee as he got up to leave.

His team escorted him to the meeting with Landry. Daniel tried not to be reminded of the guards who had shadowed his every movement for the past three weeks. He knew his team was just concerned, but that didn't prevent a few flashes in his mind… a narrow prison hallway, feeling enclosed and suffocated by the constant presence of the guards, wondering when their actions would turn violent again…

Daniel shook off the memories and reminded himself he was in the SGC. Yes, it was a military facility, and yes it was underground, just like those prison cells, but those were the only similarities.

To the apparent disappointment of his teammates, Daniel had very little to report to General Landry. Truth be told, they knew more about the situation than he did. He explained that he had been in the Rahsonian archives studying all the documents he could find relating to the Ancient device. He had been about to leave and rejoin the team when he was arrested. For the first several days he hadn't even known his "crime." They had eventually told him he was accused of sabotage, but even now he didn't know what he had supposedly sabotaged. Mitchell informed him that there had been an explosion at one of the Rahsonian power plants located near the archive building. They had witnesses who claimed that Daniel had been seen leaving the power plant directly before the explosion.

"Wh- why?" Daniel stuttered. "That doesn't make any sense. Why would I sabotage their power plant?"

"We asked Chief Minister Nebal the same question," Mitchell said.

"According to Rahsonian law," Teal'c explained, "it is not necessary to identify the motives of the accused if there are witnesses to the crime."

"There was no crime," Daniel snapped.

Teal'c bowed his head in apology. "We are all aware of that fact. It is the Rahsonians who remain unconvinced."

"For some reason, they think you took offense to something they did, and decided to use a bomb to get back at them," Mitchell said.

"That's insane." Daniel was stunned.

"You have no idea why they would have jumped to such a conclusion," Landry asked.

"No sir, no idea whatsoever."

"Well, they seem willing to go ahead with the negotiations in spite of this alleged sabotage attempt…" Landry's words faded out as Daniel's tenuous focus shifted.

_Jack looked at him intently. "What happened?"_

"_It doesn't matter," Daniel's voice was flat and emotionless._

"_Yes, it does," Jack said firmly. "You didn't try to sabotage anything."_

"_There was an accident. I guess the scientists figured the government would hold them responsible. I guess they figured it was easier to blame me."_

"Dr. Jackson?" Landry's voice didn't belong with that other memory and it jarred Daniel back to the moment.

"Sorry, sir." He shook his head, wishing the fuzz would leave his brain. "You were saying?"

Landry looked him over before restating his previous question. "Colonel Carter and SG-9 are currently on Rahsonia trying to conclude the trade negotiations. But I'd be a lot happier if we knew how to avoid any future…" Landry seemed to search for an appropriate term, "…misunderstandings." He looked expectantly at Daniel.

"I wish I knew what to say, General," Daniel spoke softly, closing his eyes in frustration. "I wish I had some cultural insight that would explain why this happened. But I don't. And I have no idea how to prevent it from happening again."

"Which begs the question," Vala interrupted, "of why we're even dealing with these people in the first place. Anyone who thinks Daniel would randomly start bombing buildings has to be completely wonko. And personally, I've always tried to avoid doing business with crazy people."

Landry sighed heavily, but fixed Vala with a stony glare. "We've been over this, Ms. Mal Doran. Your objections have been noted."

"Well, Sam was making pretty good progress with Nebal, and he clearly wants this treaty to happen, so maybe they'll be able to finish up negotiations and get out of there before anything else can go wrong," Mitchell suggested, drawing attention away from Vala.

"Actually, SG-9 reported in a short time ago. Apparently the Rahsonians are holding a banquet today in honor of the pending trade agreement. The treaty will be signed after the banquet is over."

"Banquet," Daniel muttered.

After a while, the frighteningly vivid hallucinations began to fade, leaving only a dull pounding in his head.

_The guards came with more food and Daniel made a decision. For a while nothing happened, but on the third day when he refused to eat, several large guards came into his cell._

_They were followed by a man that Daniel hadn't expected to see. "Chief Minister Nebal?" He felt a momentary flood of relief. "What's going on?"_

"_I do not owe you any explanations." The hard tone told him that Nebal was not here to help.__The relief he'd felt moments before was replaced with a sick feeling in his gut. "You have a choice Dr. Jackson. You can do as you're told and eat the food we give you without complaint, or we can force you to do as you're told. The choice is up to you."_

"_I won't help you drug me into submission," Daniel spat. "I won't be like _them_," he waved a hand to indicate the other inmates outside his cell. "I know what you're doing and I won't cooperate. You understand? I won't do it!" He snatched up the plate of uneaten food and tossed it at the wall. There was a squishy splat and then the clanging of a metal dish hitting the ground, spinning on its rim before it settled down on the stone floor._

_Nebal turned away. "Seize him," he said to the guards. "Give him the maximum safe dosage. I don't want him to be capable of arguing. I don't even want him to remember this conversation." Daniel heard the snarl in the politician's voice, he heard the threat and pulled away, drawing up against the wall, muscles tensed. "This man is dangerous," Daniel heard Nebal say to one of the guards. "I want you to make sure he is given injections twice a day to keep him calm, and prevent any more violent outbursts."_

"_Yes, sir, Chief Minister," the officer replied. His voice was so calm, so unconcerned… as if he had just agreed to serve French toast instead of waffles for breakfast each morning. Not that these people were likely to know what French toast and waffles were…_

_The guards advanced, jerking Daniel from his momentary distraction as they grabbed him roughly. He fought, tried to twist out of their grasp, and felt a blow to the side of his head as they wrestled him to the ground, pinning him sharply to the floor. Another man appeared behind them, holding a syringe and Daniel twisted away, remembering a padded cell on another planet and a man in a white coat looming over him. For a moment, he considered demanding that MacKenzie let him speak with Jack before he realized that Jack wasn't on Rahsonia. The guards had him pinned to the floor and the local version of the man-in-the-white-coat advanced on him. Daniel tried to struggle, but in the end, all he could do was look away. He felt the stab, followed by a cold tingling sensation as his world shrunk back to that padded cell on earth._

"It's in the food," Daniel said. Realization hit like a storm cloud on a sunny day, finally breaking through the confusion. His team looked at him with concern. "The food was drugged. I remember because I stopped eating, thinking I could stop it. But they just resorted to injections instead." His eyes snapped up to meet the general's gaze. "If the Rahsonians are planning a banquet, you can't let our people eat the food."

Landry shook his head. "Just because the food they gave you was drugged, that doesn't mean they will try the same thing on SG-9 and Colonel Carter."

"No, General, you don't understand. All of the food was drugged. All of it."

"Dr. Jackson, I understand that you don't trust the Rahsonians. To be honest with you, I don't trust them either. But this Ancient device they have…"

"General, please, just listen to me. Right before I was arrested," Daniel managed to say the word without stumbling over it, "I was coming to find the rest of SG-1. I couldn't remember why until now. General, the documents I was translating were fake. They were fabricated to make us believe the Ancient device was genuine."

"How do you know that?"

"Well, for one thing, they were very careful never to let me see the documents for more than a few moments at a time, which as you can imagine, makes it hard to produce an accurate translation. Then I talked to one of their historians. The whole time I kept thinking there was something off with him, I just couldn't figure out what it was. But then I noticed that every time someone asked him to do something, he did. No matter what. He was completely compliant."

"Maybe he was just an agreeable kind of guy," Mitchell suggested.

"No, I don't think so," Daniel shook his head. "He believed that the documents were genuine, even when I confronted him with obvious errors. When I asked him why he believed they were real, he said that he had been assured by Nebal's officials that the documents were authentic. That was all that mattered to him." Daniel took a breath. "The Rahsonians never question their government. It's basically a totalitarian regime. And to ensure that it stays that way, they drug their own people into complying with their commands."

For a moment no one said anything. The members of SG-1 exchanged glances. Daniel hoped they were genuinely considering what he had said, but some part of him was afraid that they were going to write off his concerns as another one of Jackson's crazy theories.

"That would explain why the people seemed unconcerned when deprived of power for long periods of time," Teal'c suggested.

Mitchell nodded thoughtfully. "Teal'c has a point. According to Ambassador Sevoy, the general population have been experiencing black outs and power shortages for almost a year. You would think that the people would be concerned. That there would be riots, protests… at least a report on the evening news."

"Exactly. We dealt primarily with government officials, but the few citizens we did encounter seemed almost incapable of questioning Nebal's leadership. They were perfectly willing to do whatever their leaders said without complaint."

"Even so, Doctor, this is nothing but conjecture at this point," Landry said reasonably.

"But if the Ancient device they keep offering us is a fraud, than that would prove they were hiding something," Vala jumped in. "Daniel, you said there were errors in the text?"

"Yes, a lot of them. I didn't realize it at first because they only allowed me to see small portions of the text at a time. I had assumed the discrepancies were caused by portions of text that had been damaged or worn away by erosion. So when I was in the archives, I started piecing together the inscription on the cover of the device, but it didn't make any sense. The words were all Ancient, but the structure was wrong. It was like someone had used Ancient words and combined them with a completely different grammatical structure."

"I take it this isn't just a new dialect that you've never encountered before," Landry said.

"No, sir. It would be like translating a passage of English into Spanish using only a dictionary. You can translate the words literally, but the grammar, the tenses, verb forms…everything else would be wrong."

"So if the documents were falsified," Vala began, "and that would explain why they didn't give Daniel access to the complete text, then the chances are that the device is part of some elaborate hoax, if it even exists at all."

"And, if they thought Jackson was on to them," Mitchell added, "then that would give them reason to produce false charges against him."

"But what about the explosion at the power planet?" Landry asked.

"ColonelCarter expressed doubt as to the veracity of the disaster," said Teal'c. "If the Rahsonians are truly in the midst of an energy crisis, it would be logical to assume that their power generation facilities would remain under heavy guard at all times to protect them against attack or sabotage. When Colonel Carter questioned them on this point, the Rahsonians merely stated that their security systems had been breached during the attack, but they offered no further information and declined her offers to help repair the facility."

"So they may have staged the whole thing?" Daniel felt as though his head was spinning. He was relieved to hear the support of his team, but the throbbing in his head was making it hard to concentrate on what they were saying. On some level, he wasn't sure he wanted to listen because it was starting to sound even more like he had been deliberately set up by the same people they had been trying to negotiate with… people who probably represented a corrupt and oppressive government. Feeling a bit dizzy, he closed his eyes to block out the image of the briefing room swimming in and out of focus, before taking off his glasses and laying them on the table in front of him.

"The only way to know for sure is to find out if that device is the real deal," Mitchell pointed out.

"And the only way to do that, is for me to go to back to the planet and take a look at it," Daniel said. He reached up to rub his eyes wearily.

"Nebal made it clear that you were not allowed back on Rahsonia," Landry said.

"Trust me, I'm not thrilled about the idea either."

"Sir, if we tell them it's necessary before we sign the treaty, they won't have any choice. We'll go in, stick to Jackson like glue, and make sure they don't try and toss him back in the slammer. Then, once we get the intel we need, we hightail it out of there." When Landry didn't immediately respond, Mitchell pressed his point. "If we don't go, and Jackson's right, than Carter and SG-9 will probably get a dose of that drug to ensure they sign the treaty. And we'll end up giving these people naquadah reactor technology…"

"Which they could easily be using for more destructive purposes," Landry completed the thought with a heavy sigh. He stared down at his folded hands resting on the briefing table. "All right SG-1. I'll authorize the mission. But I want you to proceed with extreme caution. If you're right, Dr. Jackson, than you could be walking into a dangerous situation, and we don't want to give the Rahsonians any potential hostages. If you're wrong, than we may be jeopardizing our only chance at gaining access to an extremely valuable piece of Ancient technology."

Daniel found it unusually difficult to meet the general's gaze, but gave a quick nod of acceptance before looking away to stare down at the surface of the table. Could he really be sure of his own conclusions right now? By his own admission, he wasn't thinking clearly. What if he was wrong and his actions cost them the treaty and the potential technological benefits it offered?

The room made another rotation as he fought to ignore the lightheadedness left over from the drugs and the exhaustion.

No, something was wrong. The Rahsonians were hiding something. He had know that even before his arrest, and this was the only theory that made sense. Daniel vaguely remembered whispered voices as he was dragged through the halls of the Rahsonian prison.

_"We need their technology. Just think of all the possible uses it could have. We just have to manipulate the situation so that they will play into our hands."_

He didn't know who that voice belonged to, but it didn't matter anymore.

* * *

SG-1 wasted no time in preparing for their mission. Standard pre-mission medical exams were conducted with military precision and speed. Despite the fact that Daniel had already spent more than enough time in the infirmary, he knew better than to try to con his way out of the pre-mission exam. He simply withstood Carolyn's menacing glare.

"I thought I told you to take it easy," she said.

Daniel winced at her tone of voice. "You did."

"An off-world mission the day after you return is not my idea of taking it easy. Not to mention the little fact that this is the same alien planet where you were imprisoned, beaten, and drugged."

"It's not like I _want_ to go back," he grumbled.

"I know," Carolyn conceded. "But I would still feel better if this wasn't necessary."

"Me too."

"All right," she sighed. "You're free to go. But you had better not be gone longer than a couple of hours. That means no extended stay in an alien prison," she raised a warning finger. Daniel smiled in spite of himself at the slightly teasing tone that few people would recognize.

"I will ensure that DanielJackson returns unharmed and in a timely fashion." Teal'c's voice interrupted their conversation. They both turned to see him standing behind them, quietly observing.

Carolyn nodded. "Thank you, Teal'c. I'll hold you to that."

Teal'c gave a mild bow of acceptance and the deal was sealed. Daniel grinned as he looked between the doctor and the Jaffa. As unlikely as it seemed, these two had forged a common understanding.

Carolyn returned to her duties and Daniel fell into step beside Teal'c as they both headed for the locker room to gear up.

"DanielJackson, I feel I must…"

"Ah!" Daniel cut him off with a raised finger. For a moment Teal'c's mouth hung open, but it was unclear whether his surprise was caused by Daniel's interruption, or the way he unconsciously mimicked Jack O'Neill. "No apologies Teal'c. Nothing that happened on Rahsonia was your fault."

"On the contrary. I could have prevented your arrest had we not left you alone. It was a mistake on my part to relax my guard, believing that we were safe on Rahsonia. I should have been more vigilant in my duty towards you."

Daniel's mind flashed to another time and place, another planet when he stood alone in a research lab, surrounded by broken glass and staring at the weapon of mass destruction before him. He'd been left alone than as well, with only an alien he had just begun to respect as a witness to his actions.

Pushing away the drug-induced memories, Daniel focused on his Jaffa friend.

"Teal'c, we had no way of knowing what would happen. Now, I don't want to hear another word about it. I swear, you're as over-protective as Jack sometimes."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow as Daniel turned away.

They met Mitchell in the locker room and quickly assembled their gear before heading towards the gateroom where they saw Vala waiting up ahead. Just as they reached the door, Mitchell stopped in the hallway, placing a hand on Daniel's arm.

"I just need to ask… are you sure you're up for this?"

Daniel shrugged. "I don't have a choice."

"Yes, you do," Cameron said firmly. "I'll make one. I'll demand that they move the negotiations here where we can keep an eye on Nebal and examine the device in the safety of the SGC."

"They won't go for it," Daniel warned.

"Jackson, you've only been back for a day."

"Yeah, and I've slept most of that time. Look, you guys are going to be there if things get nasty. Right?"

"Of course."

"Then I'll be fine."

"Okay, then," Mitchell said. "Good enough for me."

They both turned to follow Teal'c, joining Vala at the base of the gate ramp. The team silently watched the stargate as each chevron locked into place.


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5

When SG-1 gated to Rahsonia, they immediately asked to be taken to see the Chief Minister. They were led to the banquet hall where they found Sam, SG-9, and Chief Minister Nebal along with Ambassador Sevoy and several of Nebal's advisors. The banquet was already underway and the SGC personnel looked relaxed and pleased with the situation. Daniel glanced nervously at the guards stationed throughout the room, but none made a move.

The room faded away and Daniel felt a loss of focus. He carefully steadied himself as he felt another flashback overtake him. His mind jumped back to the last time he'd been brought to this room.

_The guards pushed him roughly through the doorway. He stumbled a bit, but hid it as well as he could._

_He'd managed to piss off one of the guards yesterday. Apparently they didn't like being called "squirrel-brained, basket-weaving, vegetables." Daniel wasn't actually sure what he'd meant by that, but it had made sense at the time. The end result of his less-than-intelligent behavior was that the guards had used him as a punching bag to release some of their pent up aggression. Strangely, they had avoided hitting him in places that would be obvious. Normally, they didn't care, but yesterday they had been careful. That didn't make it less painful, however. One of the guards had kicked his feet out from under him and he landed sideways, twisting his knee at a painful angle. A few more well-placed kicks had ensured that he wouldn't be able to walk comfortably for several days._

_Today, he was favoring his twisted knee, focusing only on putting one foot in front of the other. Between the drugs in his system, the fuzz in his brain, and the myriad of aches and pains he had collected, it took all of his concentration to keep himself from stumbling. He looked up in surprise when the guards pulled him to a stop without releasing their hold._

"_Daniel?" His head jerked up at the sound of his name. He looked into familiar eyes as Sam stared back at him. "How are you holding up?"_

_The question made no sense and Daniel glanced quickly around the room. Mitchell and Sam stood in front of him, with Vala and Teal'c a few steps behind them. For the first time, he realized that the guards had brought him to the meeting room where they had first met the Chief Minister._

_Ambassador Sevoy was standing nearby._

"_I'm sorry, Colonel, but you have only been granted a few moments," the ambassador said clearly. He almost sounded genuinely sympathetic. Daniel cocked his head in curiosity at the thought. Sympathy?_

"_Look, Jackson," Mitchell's voice drew Daniel's attention back to his teammates. "We're going to get you out of this. Just hang tight for a little while longer."_

_He nodded vaguely as if he understood._

"_Ambassador Sevoy has assured us that he will do everything he can to resolve this mess," Sam continued. "We just wanted to make sure that you're okay."_

"_I'm fine." Daniel had no idea why he said that, because nothing could be farther from the truth._

_Ambassador Sevoy cleared his throat before interrupting. "I regret that Dr. Jackson must remain in our custody for the time being. But right now, we must meet with the Chief Minister. Please, come with me."_

_They looked disappointed as they turned to leave, but they still left, following the Rahsonians ambassador. Vala's eyes looked glassy and worried as she glanced back at him. Teal'c paused as he passed Daniel's shoulder. "We will not abandon you, my friend." He reached out, squeezed Daniel's arm briefly, and went with the others._

_Without a word, the guards forced him out of the room, down a long corridor, and towards a dark staircase. He wondered if his teammates even understood what was happening, or if they thought he was guilty as well. But they had said they would help. He wanted to believe that._

_When he reached his cell, the man-in-the-white-coat was waiting for him._

Daniel shook off the memories, casting another nervous glance at the guards by the doorway. He heard the ambassador's assistant announce their presence to the negotiation party and all attention abruptly turned towards them.

As expected, Daniel's reception was less than civil.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Nebal hissed. "I thought we made it clear that the presence of this criminal is unacceptable."

"Our leaders want Dr. Jackson to examine the Ancient device and verify its authenticity before we sign the trade contract," Mitchell said. Sam stood up in surprise and took two steps towards her team before she stopped, frowning in confusion.

"This is an insult to our laws and the sovereignty of our government!"

Vala stood with one hand on her hip, glaring. "I think you're just afraid that Daniel will expose the truth," she challenged. Daniel hung back, observing silently.

"If you want that generator, you're going to have to give Dr. Jackson full access to the device. If you find that unacceptable, then we'll just leave and take our naquadah reactor with us," Cameron taunted Nebal with a smug grin.

"Cam, what's this about?" Sam asked.

"Landry wants to be sure that the device is actually going to work before we sign any trade agreement," Cam replied simply.

"Why?" Sam spoke the word slowly, as if she was talking to a young child.

Cam responded in kind. "Because we don't want to get ripped off if the device is a fake."

"The Rahsonian scientists have studied the device and assured us that its genuine. I saw the schematics myself. Why would you need to double-check it?" Sam frowned in confusion.

"Because the general ordered us to," Cam said coolly.

"Hey, Sam," Daniel said calmly, stepping towards. "How's the food?" He kept his voice level, not revealing any of the tension he felt.

Sam spun around to face Daniel, looking surprised. Evidently, she hadn't registered his presence until now. "What?"

"The food." Daniel gestured to the long table loaded with food. SG-9 still sat around the table, looking on blankly. Their team leader stood behind his seat, seemingly caught between the urge to join SG-1 and the desire to stay with his team while the scene played out before them. "The banquet seems to be in full swing. So how's the food?"

"It's fine Daniel." Again, Sam spoke as though to a child, barely hiding her impatience. "The food's great. Shouldn't you be in the infirmary? Weren't you ordered not to come back here?"

"Actually," Mitchell inserted himself between them, "the general wants him to examine the device personally." He turned back to the Chief Minister. "Now, if you'll let us take a look at the device, we'll leave you all to finish your banquet and finalize the trade agreement." The charming smile was added for good measure, his voice calm and reasonable, but leaving no room for further argument.

Mitchell and Daniel both looked at Nebal expectantly.

The Chief Minister gave a huff of impatience. He motioned to one of his gold-uniformed guards with a flick of his wrist. "Bring the device." Two other gold guards followed as he exited through a side door to follow the command and Nebal turned back to face Mitchell. "I want you to know that your behavior is a grave insult to my people. I do not appreciate the implications of your actions."

"It's nothing against your people, Minister," Mitchell said calmly. "We're just protecting our own interests at the moment. I'm sure you can understand that."

Nebal gave a slight humph. He looked irritated, but not worried. "I trust that once your needless suspicious have been resolved, we can still have a profitable relationship with your people. Why not join your companions in toasting our impending treaty?"

"Oh, I think there's been quite enough toasting going on already," Daniel said sarcastically.

Cameron spared him a glance before returning his gaze to Nebal. "We'll save the celebrations until after Dr. Jackson has examined the device."

"Had I known your people were so paranoid and consumed by mistrust, I might have been more hesitant to extend our hospitality." Nebal bit out the words. This time, his cool demeanor slipped just a bit.

"I apologize if Colonel Mitchell's behavior has offended you, Chief Minister," Sam tried to smooth ruffled feathers, forced into the uncharacteristic role of the team diplomat. "I'm sure he is just being overly cautious. No disrespect was meant."

"You know," Vala spoke up suddenly, "I think that the Chief Minister here is the one showing disrespect. After all, he's the one calling us paranoid when we're simply using common sense. Only a naïve fool would make a deal without examining the goods. Do you think we are fools, Chief Minister?"

Nebal didn't answer.

"Vala," Daniel said in a low, warning voice.

"What, Daniel? I'm not being rude, just honest. This man clearly knows nothing about normal trade practices. Even I know better than to insult potential buyers. Especially," she looked Nebal in the eye, "when you are desperately in need of their technology."

Nebal gave another huff. "You over-estimate your own importance."

"Were you not the one who explained your energy crisis to us, ChiefMinisterNebal?" Teal'c said. "From all you have told us, it would seem that you are in need, and should be less confrontational if you desire to procure our help."

"Exactly," Vala shook a finger at the Rahsonian minister. "Well said, Muscles."

If Nebal's sensibilities were any further enraged, smoke would have begun to billow out of his ears. But before his head could explode in outrage, the Chief Minister turned away, returning to his seat at the head of the banquet table and seating himself with an exaggerated sense of decorum. "Colonel Carter," he said, enunciating clearly, "you know I have apologized for the inconveniences that Dr. Jackson's actions have caused, and I do understand that this situation is difficult for your team, but I had hoped everyone could behave with at least a semblance of civility." Although he addressed Sam, he shot an unhappy glance at where Daniel stood next to Colonel Mitchell.

"Civility?" Daniel's disbelief was evident in his voice. "Is that how you characterize your own behavior? As _civil_?"

He took two steps forward before a hand on his arm brought him up short. Daniel looked down to see Vala at his side, looking up at him with sympathy. "Daniel, don't do anything foolish." He was about to object, to protest the double standard. Why was she allowed to mouth off, while he was supposed to remain calm? But she saw the argument building and cut him off before the words were fully formed. "He's not worth it," she said softly.

Daniel looked back to Nebal. Their eyes locked and everyone waited silently for the tension to break. The sound of a heavy door creaking open interrupted the standoff.

Footsteps tapped across the floor and everyone turned to look.

"Chief Minister?" the guard spoke demurely. "We have delivered the device as you instructed." Behind him stood two more guards carrying a bulky silver box. The artifact was relatively nondescript, with no obvious embellishments or controls along it's outer surface. "Place it over there." Nebal gestured to a side table across from the long banquet table. Removing several bottles of Rahsonian wine to make room, the guards did as they were told.

Daniel glanced from the device, to the Chief Minister, then to Cameron. The colonel nodded and Daniel walked over to the table.

"Will this take long?" Nebal asked belligerently. "Dr. Jackson is still a criminal and as such…"

"A suspected criminal," Mitchell clarified. "He was never given a trial or convicted of any crime."

"Perhaps not by your laws, Colonel."

Ambassador Sevoy stepped up beside the Chief Minister. "I think the Chief Minister's point, Colonel Mitchell, is that we would consider it as a sign of respect if you would conclude this… investigation as quickly as possible, so that Dr. Jackson could return to your planet."

Before Mitchell could respond, Carter cut him off. "We understand, ambassador."

Cameron went over to stand by Daniel, while Teal'c and Vala remained near the door, as if standing guard.

Daniel quickly glanced over the device, noting that even up close, there was nothing to immediately suggest that it was some powerful piece of Ancient technology. Along the top of the box were three rows of familiar markings. Above the inscription was a row of eleven blue and white lights, four of which were blinking intermittently. If they were meant as some type of indicators, Daniel had no idea what they meant. The surface of the device was completely smooth with no hint of a control panel that could activate the device.

Murmuring silently, Daniel quickly translated the text as best as he could. Several sections were missing, just as they had been in the archive copies. But instead of the uneven appearance of a surface that had been worn or chiseled away, the blank portions were just as smooth as the rest. It certainly didn't look like any form of erosion that Daniel had ever seen. The whole surface of the box was too perfect, too well-preserved.

He read over the remnants of text once more, finding nothing that he didn't already know. The text did refer to a device left by the Ancients, a device with some type of protective powers, but there were no specifics.

He heard a huff of impatience behind him and knew without turning that Nebal was glaring in anger. Consciously tuning him out, Daniel moved back to the lights above the writing. He couldn't see any pattern in the blinking lights, and they seemed to have no connection to the text itself. He continued to examine the sides of the box, hoping for a clue, a flaw, anything that would corroborate his theory.

He examined the sides of the box, finding nothing. As he ran his hand down the third side, already moving to the fourth, Daniel felt a small seam in the surface. Stopping for a closer look, he saw a panel in the corner, maybe six inches wide.

Daniel looked up at Mitchell, who leaned in to see what had caught his attention. For a moment, neither said anything as they looked at the panel. Daniel raised an eyebrow as he looked back at the colonel. Mitchell reached down and pulled out his field knife, handing it to Daniel. Nodding in thanks, Daniel inserted the tip of the knife into the seam. After careful prying and maneuvering, the panel came loose and Daniel pulled it away with his fingertips.

Daniel bent down to peer inside, confronted with darkness and a few wires tangled inside the device. Mitchell knelt down beside him to have a look. He took back his knife and used the tip to push aside the wires for a better a look. After a moment, Mitchell reached in carefully and tugged on the wires. When nothing happened, he tugged harder. The wires gave way, and Cam pulled the tangled mess free of the device just as the lights on its surface blinked out.

Both Daniel and Cameron stepped back as Sam came over to examine the device, even though Daniel was pretty sure he knew what she would find.

"Well, this isn't Ancient technology," Sam commented. "These wires were connected to a small power source, but it's not enough to generate any significant energy."

"Probably because the only thing it actually does is make those lights blink on and off," Daniel said sarcastically, pointing to where the lights on top had gone dead.

Nebal came forward, expression reflecting his fury. He was bearing down on Daniel and for a moment, Daniel backed up nervously. He felt a flash of awareness as he recalled Nebal's anger back in that dark prison cell when Daniel had made the mistake of crossing him.

"How dare you," the Chief Minister hissed. "First you sabotage our energy generators, and then you damage our ancient device… you stole the device and left us with this useless casing. Was that your plan all along or were you just covering your tracks, trying to convince your superiors that your actions were justified? I knew we should never have released a terrorist such a yourself. You will pay for your crimes, Dr. Jackson," Nebal spit his name as if it was bitter on his tongue.

Nebal continued to advance with several guards flanking him. Daniel stepped back again, glancing quickly to his team. Sam was still looking blankly at the device. Mitchell's shock was evident, but he gripped his P-90 in both hands. Teal'c was already moving forward as if to stop Nebal, and it looked as though Vala and Mitchell wouldn't be far behind him. Daniel's eyes snapped back to the guards at Nebal's side.

His hand found his sidearm and he snapped it up to Nebal's face, pointing the weapon straight ahead.

Apparently, that was not what Nebal had been expecting. The guards stopped, looking to the Chief Minister for orders.

"This is an outrage," Nebal said, voice tight and on the verge of losing control.

Daniel held the weapon calmly, unwavering. "Do you want to know what's an outrage, Chief Minister? The way you drug your own people into doing your will. The fact that no one, not those guards right there or your advisors or the people outside, are willing to stand up to you. The fact that you hide the corruption of your government behind a _civilized_ façade and expect everyone to go along with it. And if anyone shows even a hint of disagreement, you just increase their dosage and drug them into complacency. Isn't that right, Chief Minister?"

Nebal's anger seemed to melt away, only to be replaced with a smug grin.

"You're only partially correct Dr. Jackson," he said condescendingly. "But you know nothing of Rahsonian culture and tradition."

"What tradition could justify forcibly drugging your own people?" Daniel snapped. He caught sight of Teal'c circling the guards, weapon raised and ready to act. His eyes darted back to Nebal.

The Chief Minister actually chuckled. "That is what you don't understand, Doctor. My people know all about it. They accept the medications they are given. They asked for freedom from fear and worry and that's what the drug is. They know all about it. They welcome it. And they accept my leadership because I offer them this peace. I handle the worrisome job of governance, and they are left to a life free of anxiety and fear. It's the perfect arrangement."

Daniel wasn't sure, but he thought he just might throw up if he had to see that sickeningly superior grin one more time.

"Why did you really want the naquadah generator?" Mitchell asked.

Nebal turned slightly, but kept his eyes on Daniel and the weapon that was still trained on his head. "Exactly what we told you. To supplement our own power generation facilities."

"Yeah, and what did you need the extra power for?" Daniel asked. "I'm going to bet that your complacent people were never going to see it."

Another smug grin. "We would use it to protect the freedoms that our people enjoy."

"And you planned on giving us this useless replica instead of the real Ancient device?" Sam asked. She still sounded stunned, but looked more like herself and Daniel wondered if perhaps she hadn't eaten enough to be fully affected by the drug.

"No," Daniel shook his head. "I don't think there is an original device. You fabricated this one in order to con us into trading with you."

"A trade, which I could not allow you to jeopardize," Nebal added.

"Well, now there will be no trade," Mitchell said, stepping forward. "I suggest you order your guards to stand down and allow us to leave."

"Why would I do that, Colonel?"

"Because last time I checked, there's still a gun pointed at your head."

"And," Daniel said, "if I kill you, there's no reason to think that your complacent little guards will care. After all, they're trained to follow orders and if there's no one to give the orders…" Daniel was bluffing about killing him, but he figured Nebal didn't need to know that.

"Killing me would plunge this planet into chaos. The people need a leader."

"I don't know about that," Daniel replied, once again allowing the sarcasm to creep into his voice.

Nebal sneered. "They _want_ a leader. They enjoy their complacency and their ignorance. I doubt they would appreciate your efforts if you destroyed their happy little world. You'd find yourself back in that uncomfortable prison in no time."

"Which is why we're going to leave," Mitchell said. "Right now. And you're not going to stop us."

Nebal glanced around, seemingly weighing his options, before he finally ordered the guards to stand down. They did. Daniel glanced behind Nebal to see Teal'c and Vala, both with weapons trained on Nebal. He lowered his 9mm and moved to stand beside Mitchell and Sam. The members of SG-9 already stood by the door, awaiting the order to leave.

At a nod from Cameron, they began to file out of the room, and Vala fell in beside Daniel as Sam followed SG-9. Casting a glance over his shoulder, Daniel saw Mitchell and Teal'c managing to look intimidating as they backed away from Chief Minister Nebal.

"Don't expect to be hearing from us anytime soon." Mitchell's parting words echoed and there was no response.


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6

He was locked in a small dark room. No, he was wrapped in darkness. Just darkness. Nothing more. The Others had left him here to pay for his crimes.

Crimes. What crimes? He had tried to help. Hadn't he? He had failed, yes, but only because they had stopped him. Did that make it a crime?

_"The success or failure of your deeds does not add up to the sum of your life…Judge yourself by the intention of your actions and by the strength with which you faced the challenges that have stood in your way."_

The words echoed in his mind, bringing a reminder of peace. His intentions were pure, both then and now. But did that matter? In the end he was powerless. Unable to help. Unable to act.

_"Come with us Dr. Jackson. You will be taken to a secure prison to await trial."_

He was trapped in a prison – one he had willingly entered. A prison of his own making. Powerless because of his own choices. There was always a choice. And he had made the wrong one…

He was led away. No one was allowed near him of course. The guards were careful to keep their distance. He was led to an isolation cell where he would be left indefinitely. There would be no trial. There was no need for one. They knew he would be dead within days. Radiation poisoning was slower than a firing squad, but just as lethal.

"This is the price for terrorism, Dr. Jackson," Nebal taunted. "The Kelownan government allowed you to come here in good faith, and you repay them by sabotaging their research?" His disgust wasn't hidden. Red-uniformed guards stood at his side. "You stand convicted of terrorism against the Kelownan people and will be punished according to their laws."

Kelowna? Daniel turned his head to the side in confusion.

The scene shifted again and he was standing in the common room of the Rahsonian prison, crowded by other inmates. On one side, two men and an older women stood nearby, arguing, pushing, yelling. Somewhere to the left, Daniel heard low moaning that gradually grew to shrill cries, before quieting down and repeating the cycle.

Shuddering, trying to block out the noise and chaos assaulting him from all sides, Daniel moved to a corner. The argument continued. He couldn't understand the words, but the intent was clear. Voices filled with bitterness, shrieking with malice. He tried to ignore them, but the sound was grating, scraping away at his sanity.

He moved closer to the little corner, but was stopped by a whimper. Laying on the ground was a pile of rumpled cloth. For a moment, he paused. Then, ever so gently, he pulled back the blanket that hid the crumpled form.

The sight made him gasp.

The body beneath the blanket was a bloody, burned mess. Flesh had been seared away, leaving shredded remnants of skin and muscle clinging to the bone. He thought he had heard a whimper, but there was no way this… this _thing_ could be alive.

He pulled back slowly, but froze when the form shifted, blanket sliding off due to the movement. The head turned slightly, then raised to look at him.

Daniel saw a face peering back at him. One side of it was covered in burns and radiation sores, but the undamaged side was enough for him to recognize one of the Kelownan scientists.

"You," the voice rasped. "Y-you… d-des-troyed my… life's work." The accusation was clear in the shaky tone.

Daniel shook his head. "Your life's work was a weapon. A weapon that would have destroyed your planet. All of your people would be dead if you had used that weapon. I stopped you from killing your own people."

A hand landed on his shoulder and he was spun around to face another prisoner, a large, angry hulk of a man snarling in disgust. "You're a criminal. A murderer. You belong in prison. And you'll die in prison."

Daniel yanked himself free of the man's hold, only to stumble to the dirt floor. "No," he said in a low voice. "I didn't do anything."

The angry hulk shook its head. "It doesn't matter what you did, or didn't do. You're a criminal and deserve to be punished."

Consumed with irrational fear, Daniel scrambled backwards. His back hit the metal grate of the door, stopping him in his tracks. He turned to look at the bars blocking his escape. When he turned back, the prisoner was gone, replaced by empty, condemning blackness.

He let out a deep breath, banishing the visions, the convoluted memories, and the flashes of drug-induced hallucinations. Daniel glanced around his empty prison cell, drew his knees up to his chest and rested his head on his knees. His head was pounding. The room had begun to spin. And he was tired. So very tired.

He wished he knew why he was here. Oh he knew why they _said_ he was here. He was a criminal, they said. Convicted of sabotage. Just like on Kelowna, except the Kelownans had allowed him to go home on "compassionate grounds." Because he had been dying. At the time, he hadn't cared that the Kelownans had essentially condemned him as a terrorist without so much as a hearing. At that time, he had been too disheartened to care, thinking that his actions never made a difference anyway. His innocence hadn't seemed to matter, because he had been too busy trying to convince Oma Desala that he was guilty of so many other crimes… that his failures made him unworthy of ascension. Funny how the ascended had come to consider him a criminal as well, even though he had once again been trying to help.

Now here he was on some alien planet, and while he took advantage of this too brief moment of lucidity before they came to drug him again, Daniel couldn't help but feel that maybe he was guilty. He didn't know his crime, but if so many people seemed determined to condemn him, then he must be guilty or something.

Or perhaps they were just looking for a scapegoat. Too cowardly to accept the responsibility for their own actions, they chose to pin the blame on someone else.

Daniel pounded his fist against the metal door, hearing the thud as his hand began to throb in response. He held the bruised hand, examining the consequences of his actions.

He decided that what he hated about prison was how powerless he felt. Outside, no matter how bad things seemed, he could at least pretend that his actions mattered, that he was capable of making a difference. Here, in this place of darkness, he was completely powerless. He let out a bitter laugh. He had once thought that ascension would give him the chance to make a difference, but that had turned out to be the height of powerlessness. A prison of his own making.

Was that all this was? A prison of his own making? Did he really deserve this?

_"So, you're just giving up?" Jack asked, his voice was level, but his eyes showed his emotions._

"_No, I'm not giving up. Believe me."_

Daniel shook his head and leaned back. No. He refused to believe that he was a criminal. He didn't do anything wrong on Kelowna. He remembered how angry Jack had been that he had refused to defend his own innocence. Almost as mad as Jack had been at the Kelownans for blaming him in the first place. Someday he'd have to thank Jack for that.

Daniel sighed. This time, it was no different. He had done nothing to feel guilty for. He was innocent. At least, innocent of this particular crime.

He heard the sound of footsteps echoing down the corridor, slowly growing louder.

Scurrying away from the door, he stood with his back to the wall, determined to face whatever entered his little cell. The footsteps continued to grow louder, then stopped. With excruciating slowness, the metal door creaked open, groaning on its rusted hinges. When it finally opened, four men entered. Two guards moved to restrain him. He fought, but it was useless. The man-in-the-white-coat stepped forward, carrying his syringe. The fourth man merely grinned, and it was this guard who Daniel watched. He saw the sinister grin, saw the delight in dark eyes as he struggled to fight off the drug as it was injected. The last thing he heard was a hysterical laugh before the drug took over and plunged him into a world of black.

* * *

Daniel jerked awake, sitting straight up in bed and trying to regain control of his ragged breathing. He glanced quickly around his quarters, reminding himself where he was. Forcing himself to relax, he leaned back and stared at the familiar ceiling, allowing his thoughts to drift slightly.

Yesterday they had left Rahsonia for the second, and hopefully final, time. With weapons brandished in his face, Nebal had finally realized it was not in his best interest to stop them. Just as Cameron had planned, they hightailed it back to the gate at top speed. After they reported in, Landry had readily agreed to call off all negotiations with the Rahsonians. There was absolutely no reason to return to that planet.

So, that should have been the end of it. And yet here he was, waking up in a cold sweat, still fighting off nightmares of a Rahsonian prison.

He had to admit, this was getting old. Carolyn had theorized that the hallucinogenic properties of the drug he'd been given were dragging up old memories and combining them with the memories of his captivity on Rahsonia. Feelings of powerlessness from when he was ascended, the Kelownans accusations of sabotage, his own radiation sickness, and his time in the Rahsonian prison all mixed together as though his memories had been put through a blender. It made sense he supposed, but he'd hoped the effects would have worn off by now. Carolyn had an answer for that too, saying that the drug wasn't meant to be used on humans from Earth and so his reaction was abnormally strong.

Either way, Daniel was sick of it.

Knowing he wouldn't be getting any more sleep, Daniel climbed out of bed, groaning slightly as abused muscles politely reminded him of a litany of half-healed injuries. He pulled on a discarded pair of jeans and a T-shirt that he kept in his quarters on base, then slipped on a pair of shoes and snatched his glasses from the bedside table as he headed for the door.

The base was quiet at night and the halls were nearly empty. Entering the commissary, he went straight for the coffee-pot, knowing there was an endless supply of coffee for the night staff. As he filled his mug, he glanced around, noticing that there was one other person sitting in the commissary. Sam Carter sat at SG-1's usual table in the corner, still dressed in fatigues and looking as though she had never left the mountain, which she probably hadn't. She stared at a file spread out in front of her with her spoon poised over a bowl of blue jello.

With a grin, Daniel walked over. "Mind some company?"

She glanced up in surprise. "Daniel. What are you doing here?"

He sat in the seat across from her. "I could ask you the same thing."

She shrugged. "Couldn't stop thinking over everything… I decided it would be better to come here and actually get some work done." She waved at the papers in front of her. Daniel glanced at them, but saw technical readouts that meant nothing to him, and try as he might, he couldn't get excited about it. "Your turn," Sam proclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Daniel winced. "Yeah, well, you know me. I've never exactly had normal sleeping habits." Her expression was dubious. Sometimes Daniel got lucky and Sam didn't notice his evasion tactics. Tonight was not one of those times. He gave her a sheepish smile as he glanced down at his coffee cup. "I guess those Rahsonian drugs are still messing with my mind a bit." He shrugged. "They're not exactly conducive to sleep."

Sam frowned. "I thought Dr. Lam said the drugs had worn off."

"Not completely. Carolyn thinks it has something to do with the fact that they weren't designed to be used on humans from Earth. Or it could have something to do with prolonged exposure and the abnormally high dose I was given." He shrugged. "You know how it goes. The doctors make their best guess, but it's still an alien drug."

"Daniel…" he heard the serious tone in her voice, but didn't have time to stop her. "About what happened on Rahsonia… I'm sorry. I…"

"Sam, I've already been through this with everyone else. There was no way we could have known the Rahsonians would resort to such drastic measures to preserve the trade agreement. And they could have gone after any one of us."

"I know that," Sam said. "Actually I was talking about after that. About when you guys came back."

"Oh." Daniel didn't know what to make of that.

"I was… well I was an idiot. I thought you were being paranoid and letting your emotions cloud your judgment. I was rude."

Daniel shrugged again. "Hey, you were drugged. It happens."

Sam actually laughed at that. "Yeah, I guess it does. Doesn't make me feel any better about it though."

"No," Daniel conceded.

"I don't even remember eating the food. I had a glass of wine, which in and of itself seems like a stupid idea now that I mention it. I remember looking down at the plate in front of me and seeing that I had eaten almost everything. I don't remember actually eating though."

"Yeah, from what I remember it's a pretty fast acting drug. One minute I was trying to fight off the guards, and the next I was incoherent on the floor."

Daniel felt another memory bubble up from his subconscious. _"Come with us Dr. Jackson. You will be taken to a secure prison to await trial." He had agreed readily. For some reason, it had seemed like the logical thing to do at the time._ "I think… I think I went willingly. I actually walked into that prison like it was perfectly natural." Daniel shook his head in frustration, unable to comprehend his own actions.

Sam smiled sympathetically. "It wasn't you. We were there for a week, Daniel. Who knows how many times they could have slipped us small doses of the drug, and we never would have known."

Daniel nodded. "I know. I remember them injecting me with something when they came to arrest me."

"I can't believe they drug their own people," Sam said with disgust. "Do you think Nebal was telling the truth? Do you really think the Rahsonian people know that they're being drugged?"

"It's possible." Daniel shrugged. "It sort of makes sense actually. They see it as normal medication. The same way our doctors prescribe sleep aids, or pain relievers, or medication for anxiety disorders. The difference is, on Rahsonia it's universal. Everyone takes it. Like _Brave New World_." Daniel took another drink of his coffee. "It's part of their culture and they accept it as an advancement. Unfortunately, Nebal's right. They would probably react very badly if they were forced to live without it."

Daniel fiddled with the handle of his coffee mug. Sam was listening intently, waiting for him to continue. "It took me so long to realize it. I thought it was just the prisoners who were drugged, but it's everyone. Although I do think that the inmates were given a higher dosage. The prisoners I saw there…" Daniel shook his head. A minute ago, he had been thinking about Rahsonia from a purely intellectual standpoint, but thoughts of the prison brought everything back in a disturbingly personal way. "I don't see how a whole society could function like that. They were completely irrational. I would look into their eyes and see nothing but blankness staring back at me. It was… terrifying."

Sam placed a hand on his arm. "Are you doing okay with all this?"

He gave her a tight smile. "Yeah. I'll be fine." For a long moment, he didn't know what else to say. He returned to staring at his coffee cup, but when he looked back up he saw a pair of concerned blue eyes staring back. "Actually, it isn't just about what happened on Rahsonia."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Carolyn theorized that the hallucinogenic properties of the drug may have had a side effect of stirring up some old memories."

"Memories?"

"Yeah. I would have these…I guess you'd call them flashbacks, but everything was mixed in with the Rahsonian prison." Daniel sighed. "At one point I thought I was on Kelowna." His voice went soft as he continued. "I thought I was in a Kelownan prison, dying of radiation poisoning."

Daniel regretted the admission as soon as he'd said it. He cautiously glanced at Sam to see her reaction. Her eyes were closed, seemingly in pain as she shook her head sadly.

"I'm so sorry, Daniel."

He shrugged, feeling uncomfortable. "Well, they're just random memories, right? And once the side effects have worn off, they should go back where they belong."

"Daniel…"

"Sam, it's fine. Maybe it's even a good thing. What happened on Kelowna… I haven't really thought about it in a long time. I mean, it's been there, floating in the back of my mind, but I haven't really thought about it. This has given me a chance to bring some of those memories out of their box and look at them, just to make sure they're dealt with."

"Are they?" she asked. "Dealt with, I mean? Do things like that ever truly go away?"

"No. They don't go away. But they do help make us who we are. It just depends on how you choose to respond to them."

Sam looked as though she was about to say something when they heard footsteps.

"Well lookie what we have here?" Cameron's voice broke into the seriousness that thickened the air between them.

Sam and Daniel both looked up at the trio that had just entered the room. Daniel couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the colonel leading their alien teammates on a commissary raid… he glanced at his watch …at four in the morning.

"Who would have thought we'd find you two here?" Cameron grinned.

"Actually," Vala spoke up, "I believe Teal'c suggested that we might…" A jab to the ribs silenced her as she glared at Cam's elbow, apparently contemplating how to deal with the offending appendage.

Daniel looked at Sam with a grin before turning back to their guests. "Well, I know why I'm here, and we've already talked about why Sam's here, so what's you guys' excuse?"

"Us?" Cam tried to look innocent. "Oh, we just decided to come find a little snack. You know, nothing major, just a case of the munchies, that's all."

"All three of you?" Sam asked.

"At four in the morning?" Daniel added.

"Yes, well, you know, there's uh… gate lag and all that." Cameron looked helplessly to Teal'c.

"We were indeed seeking sustenance," Teal'c confirmed.

As one, Daniel and Sam turned to Vala, waiting for her to corroborate this sketchy story.

She gave them a big toothed grin that looked more than a bit guilty. Sam looked curious. Daniel merely stared at her intensely.

Vala's grin wilted. All eyes remained on her. Her co-conspirators waited for her support, while the inquisitors gave her level stares.

"Well, it's not fair you know," she stamped her foot slightly. "You all have this special SG-1 sixth sense that seems to tell you how to act around each other, what to say, when to help… except for you Cameron, I don't think your SG-1 sense is perfectly attuned just yet." The colonel looked affronted. "But I'm the new girl here, and I thought I'd give it a try. Cameron went along with it, and Teal'c said you'd be in here, and…"

"Vala," Daniel tried to interrupt.

"I just wanted to help, Daniel, and I thought you might like some company, but I wasn't sure…

"Vala."

"…so I forced them to come along and…"

"Vala!" She stopped and looked at him, eyes wide and childlike.

Daniel looked to Teal'c and Mitchell. "Midnight snack?"

"No," Cam admitted. "She's right. It was Vala's idea. She got us together and we decided to come check in on you. We were going to get Sam to help us, but when we couldn't find her, Teal'c suggested that we might find one or both of you in here"

"We were merely concerned, DanielJackson, and wished to offer our assistance if it was required."

Daniel glanced back to Sam. "What do you think?"

She shrugged. "Well, they did go to a bit of trouble."

"Yeah, for the record," Cam said, "I was asleep until _someone_ came and pulled me out of bed. Literally."

Vala gave him a cheeky grin.

Daniel chuckled. "Okay, pull up a couple of chairs." Sam shoved her papers back into their folder and set it aside as Vala bounced over to sit in the chair next to her and the guys dragged over chairs from a nearby table.

"You know, Carolyn's going to be furious when she finds out you haven't been sleeping," Cam said to Daniel, who winced in response.

"Well, the way I figure it, she's not going to let me back on active duty for at least a week anyway, so I'll have plenty of time to catch up on lost sleep."

"You know, now that we're here," Vala said with a mischievous smile, "I'm warming up to the idea of a nighttime snack."

"I think there's more jello in the kitchen," Sam supplied helpfully.

Vala looked dubious. "I was thinking more along the lines of chocolate pie."

"Hey," Daniel piped up, "now there's a decent idea."

"Well, you never know what the cooks have left lying around the kitchen," Sam said with a smile. "General O'Neill always used to steal the cake that they keep in the back of the refrigerator."

Cameron stood slowly, his expression serious and intent. "Cover me, I'm going in."

Vala jumped out of her seat. "I'm right behind you."

The two were already making their way across the commissary, sneaking behind chairs like they were attempting some covert operation. Daniel, Teal'c, and Sam all exchanged amused looks. Daniel glanced at their enthusiastic teammates as he allowed himself to relax for the first time in weeks. With a shrug he silently decided there was no harm in acting a bit silly.

"Sorry," he said as he stood up to follow Cam and Vala. "This is just too good to miss."

Sam grinned up at him. "Bring us back some extra jello."

"Will do." He gave her an easy smile as he silently followed Vala, who peered around the kitchen door while Cameron hopped over a table to hide from the surveillance camera. As Daniel left the table, he heard Sam ask Teal'c, "Do you ever feel like you're on a team with a bunch of kids?"

"Frequently," Teal'c responded. Daniel knew him well enough to detect a tone of pleased amusement.

-fin-

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A/N: I'd like to extend a very warm thank-you to all of those who have reviewed this story. You guys are wonderful and I love hearing all your comments.


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